Your blog to China
Curiosities of Chinese is not a Chinese language course but a look at how some parts of the Chinese language work and how some of the idioms function and can be used in everyday sentences. Every Week I’ll put up a phrase, an expression or an idiom and explain its origin or composition.I hope you find it interesting.
In the next article I will be talking about these amazing chillies that grow in Guizhou on Leigongshan 雷公山 or Thunder mountain.
These chillies are reported to be the longest in the world. The ones shown hear are growing on my terrace in Madrid.
Not all of them grow straight. Some curl up into the most amazing shapes like the one below that seems to want to be a snake.
THE IDIOM / CHENGYU 成语
Chicken feathers and garlic skin 鸡毛蒜皮 jī máo suàn pí: Sounds a bit a of a strange combination. However, if you think about both objects, they are two pretty unimportant things to get worked up about.
So the next time you are arguing in Chinese about unimportant and trivial matters and are wondering why the other person is making such a fuss; just tell them that the matter is nothing more than ‘chicken feathers and garlic skin’ Or 鸡毛蒜皮 jī máo suàn pí.
There is also a book called Chicken Feathers and Garlic Skin
La Guía esencial de la lengua china has been written by my friend and colleague at the Centro Superior de Idiomas Modernas (CSIM) in the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Baoyan Zhao and her co-author Francisco Javier López Calvo. As the book is mainly for Spanish learners of Chinese I have left the review in Spanish. However, many of the tips and advice in the book can be useful for all learners of Chinese.
La Guía esencial de la lengua china es un libro de consulta que resuelve aquellas dudas que surgen durante el estudio del chino. Por medio de una accesible estructura de preguntas y respuestas los autores se acercan a los distintos aspectos de la lengua china, de manera detallada y precisa pero a la vez con un estilo fácilmente comprensible para el lector. Tanto si estáis pensando en empezar con el estudio del chino, si os encontráis en las primeras fases del aprendizaje o si lleváis cierto tiempo con ello, en este libro encontraréis una gran cantidad de información provechosa, interesante y curiosa.
Dado que la lengua china a primera vista puede intimidar por su complejidad y por lo diferente, este libro pretende ser el mapa o la guía de viaje que os ayudará a comprender mejor el punto donde os encontráis, y que sin duda hará más fácil y eficaz vuestro estudio. Como apunta el propio libro en su portada, un buen comienzo es la mitad del éxito, y a través de sus páginas encontraréis la manera de que vuestro comienzo sea el mejor posible.
Curso de chino mandarin en Madrid 2013/2014
Como todos los años el CSIM (Centro Superior de Idioma Modernas) te ofrecen cursos de chino en la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Las fechas son del 14 de octobre 2013 hasta el 31 de mayo 2014: 3 horas semanales. Todo/as los profesores son licenciadas y con ampliar experiencia en impartir clases de chino. Para mas informacion clic haz clic en este enlace: http://pendientedemigracion.ucm.es/info/idiomas/cursos/generales.htm
Chinese Idiom 鸡飞蛋打: Want to express that you will lose everything whatever you do? Then just say the ‘eggs are broken and the chickens have flown away’ 鸡飞蛋打 jifēidàndǎ.
The video below explains the idiom rather well.
The Video also includes ‘chicken feathers and garlic skin’ Or 鸡毛蒜皮 jīmáo suànpí. For a better explanation of this idiom click here.
Jamie Oliver in China: Jamie Oliver has a tendency to crop up on T.V when you least expect it. Even putting in an appearance while I was walking down a street in Kunming, Yunnan Province. Having caused a scandal in Spain by adding chorizo to paella. What plans does he have to adulterate Chinese cuisine and infuriate the purists? Only time will tell!
Cursos de Chino en la Universidad Complutense de Madrid
CURSOS INTENSIVOS DE 60 HORAS
DEL 5 AL 23 de JULIO
MATRÍCULA: CENTRO SUPERIOR DE IDIOMAS MODERNOS
C/ Donoso Cortés, 63 – pl. baja
Horarios: lunes a viernes: 9.00 a 15.00 h
Para matrícula online consulten: www.ucm.es/info/idiomas
PRECIO: 256 € (alumnos y personal UCM) / 366 €
Consultar la página Web para otros descuentos.
INFORMACIÓN: www.ucm.es/info/idiomas
E-MAIL: csim@rect.ucm.es
TEL.: 91.394.64.41 / 25.21
CURSOS DE VERANO – JULIO 2010
UNIVERSIDAD COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID
NO SE PRECISA SER UNIVERSITARIO
CENTRO SUPERIOR DE IDIOMAS MODERNOS
CURSOS INTENSIVOS DE 60 HORAS
DEL 5 AL 23 de JULIO
De lunes a viernes: mañana (9:30 – 14:00)
NIVEL: INTRODUCCIÓN I
RECONOCIMIENTO CRÉDITOS
DE LIBRE ELECCIÓN DE LA UCM
Haz click aqui para ver el cartel:POSTER CIV CHINO 2010
Bàn tú ér fèi 半途而废: To Leave Something Unfinished: This Chinese idiom somewhat sums up my recent work on the blog. I’ve written a lot of new texts and I’ve selected a lot of photos to go with them. However, I haven’t been able to put them together. Hopefully in the next few weeks they all will be finished.
In the meantime enjoy this very apt idiom (成语 Chengyŭ): Bàn tú ér fèi半途而废
Yushu town (Qinghai Province)
The Yangtse River 1991 & 2009 compared. A day to day account of how it was sailing from Shanghai to Chongqing in 1991. And our more recent adventure last year from Chongqing to Yichang.
Chongqing : The City
Book review: Beijing Coma by Ma Jian
Zhaozhou Bridge, Hebei Province, old text re-done.
Yushu to Manigango via Serxu
Jiuhuashan 2001
and more ………..
Duì niú tán qín / 对牛弹琴: Welcome to our new Curiosities of Chinese section. This is where we look at Chinese idioms, sayings and expressions and try to explain their meaning and composition. This is not an attempt to teach Chinese but just a fun look at some of the fascinating parts of this rich language.
The first in the series is one of my favourite idioms.
Have you ever had the feeling that the people you are talking to, or explaining things to, just aren’t on the same wave length as you? Or ever felt that the person you are talking to is so stubborn that they will never change their minds, whatever you say to them, or how ever right you might be?
The Chinese have the perfect idiom to describe such a situation: 对牛弹琴, or duì niú tán qín.
This literally means “playing the lute to a cow”. It’s a great way to describe that frustrating situation.
Picture taken from 100 Common Chinese Idioms and Set Phrases by Sinolingua
means to or towards.
is a cow.
means to play a stringed instrument
is a general name for a stringed instrument but often refers to a traditional Chinese harp like instrument or lute.